European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 1, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                I 99 y a year of drama the sports scene Connors frenchmen Seles enlivened Tennis by Steve Wilstein a Tennis writer Tennis boomed and shrieked through a Vintage year in 1991, led by grunting Moniea Seles groaning Jimmy Connors and the Davis cup champions of France. It was a year of strange disappearances. Boris Becker briefly fled the australian open and Monica Seles vanished during Wimbledon. Also 1991 had grand appearances a Jim courier rising from no. 25 to no. 2, Michael Stich capturing Wimbledon and Connors roaring Back mightily at age 39, Seles was the talk of the Tennis world whether she played or not As she captured All three of the grand slam events she entered plus the Virginia slims championship for a one year record $2,457,758 in prizes before she turned 18. The Small fines she had to pay for skipping Wimbledon and another tournament barely put a Dent in that amount but she May regret missing the federation cup if she is banned from the olympics in 1992. Stelan Lidberg regained the no. I ranking he lost twice during the year and his Bank account grew $2.3 million fatter a tops on the at tour. But he missed out on the biggest Money prizes in Vear end tournaments because of tendinitis in his knee. Pete Sampras started the year troubled by injuries eagerly shed the burdens of his . Open Crown with a quarterfinals loss then came Back Strong to wind u t the second leading at four Money Winner with $1.9 million in prizes. That included $1 million for winning the at championship in november. But Sampras also turned out to be the Goat of the . Davis cup team suffering singles losses to Henri Leconte and Guy forget in France s amazing upset and first cup Triumph since 1932. Flip through the calender and recall a year of captivating images and milestones january a Seles barely 17, pummels shots from the Baseline to win the first of her three grand slam titles of the year As she becomes inc youngest australian open Champion in history. Becker baffling everyone sprints out of the stadium to run alone in the Park immediately after capturing the men s title to become no. 1 for the first time. February a Edberg regains the no. 1 ranking As Becker struggles with injuries. March a Seles displaces Steffi Graf As the women s no. 1 player ending grafts record run of 186 consecutive weeks atop the rankings. Seles becomes the youngest no. I player in history male or female at 17 years 3 months on March 11. June a courier beginning a surge that will see him leap from no. 25 to no. 2 by year s end out slugs Andre Agassi in a gripping Duel to win an All american final at the French open. Seles wins her second straight French title and remains no. I. July a in the wettest Wimbledon in its 114-year history Seles passes up a Chance for a rare grand slam stays away As wild rumours try about her absence. She later claims Shin splints not pregnancy kept her grounded. Germans Michael Stich and Steffi Graf win the Wimbledon championships the first grand slam Victory by Stich and the l the for Graf. Jennifer Capriati 14, becomes the youngest Wimbledon semifinalist ousting defending and nine time Champion Martina Navratilova in the quarters. Becker who lost to Stich in the final takes Back the no. I spot in the rankings from Edberg who fell to Stich in semifinals. September a Edberg reclaims the no. I ranking by beating courier in the final of a boisterous . Open. But it is Connors turning 39 and still battling Fie a kid who dominates the tournament reaching the semifinals before succumbing to courier. Seles wins her first . Open thrashing Navratilova in the final after barely escaping Capriati in the semis. November a Navratilova Breaks Chris Evert Sall time pro record of 1,309 singles match wins Jimmy Connor s courageous climb players Connors Defeated at the 1991 . Open first round Patrick Mcenroe 4-6, 6-7 4-76-4, 6-2, 6-4 second round Michie schapers r n 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 third round Arel Novacek 10 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 fourth round. ,. Aaron Krickstein \ 3\�, 7-6 10-81-6, if f 6-3. 7-6 7-4 quarterfinals Paul Laarhuis 4-6, 7-6 7-36-4, 6-2 semifinals Defeated by age 39 Jim courier 4 Birthplace Belleville Iii \ 3.3 3,3 5.3 residence Belleville i Santa Ynez Calif. Height 5 ft., 10  155 lbs n plays left handed aps amps and ties Evert a 157 singles titles by beating Seles in the final at Oakland Calif. Sulcs gets More than a Little revenge two weeks later beating Navratilova in the final of the $3 million Virginia slims championships. December a Leconte seemingly washed up after Back surgery is inspired by Davis cup coach Yannick Noah to beat Sampras in singles then teams up with forget to win the doubles. Forget then beats Sampras in singles to Clinch the cup and set off a tumultuous Celebration. David Wheaton saves his biggest moment for the grand slam cup in Munich. With a Victory Over Michael Chang in the final Wheaton wins $2  featured by Bob Green a Golf writer a big Hitler and a Small number served As the highlights of a Golf season that also produced Triumph and exquisite drama. The game acquired a new hero in John Daly a character of almost fictional dimensions who seemed to step from the pages of a storybook into the front rank of Golf a great  done to know that anyone Ever Shook Golf in one week like John Daly did a Arnold Palmer said. The 25-year-old Rookie became an instant cel eerily with his awesome exhibition of Power in an upset Triumph in a tournament he did t think head get to play. Daly was the ninth alternate and the last Man to make the Field in the pea championship at crooked stick in Indianapolis. But when he did get in he made the most of it routinely blasting drives 301 Yards and More. The longest hitter in Golf kept that enormous Power under control and overpowered the rest of the Field in scoring the first Victory of his career in one of the game s major championships. Chip Beck also achieved something  had not been done in a Long Lime a 14 years to be exact. Beck became Only the second Suh-6l shooter in pea tour history when he compiled a 13-Undcr-par59on a Friendly Little course in the third round of the Las vegas invitational. In the Light desert air the sum is country Golf season club played much Shorter than its listed 6,979 Yards. It was being used in the three course format for the tournament on a one time fill in basis. Beck matched a1 Geiberger s record Low score set in the Memphis classic in 1977. But if Daly was Golf a Man of the year and Becky a 59 was the round of the year the Ryder cup Jit Kiawah Island . Was the event of the year. Captain Dave Stockton a american team broke an unprecedented six year hold by the europeans on the old trophy and did it by the most narrow possible margin 14l >13lo. The biennial matches came Down to the last Hole of the last match. After conceding a two foot putt on the final Hole to american Veteran Hale Irwin Germany s Bernhard Langer stood Over a five foot putt to halve the final Hole halve the match and gain the one half Point that would lie the matches and enable Europe to retain the cup. He missed it and the United Stales had perhaps its greatest Ryder cup Triumph. In the open at the extremely difficult Hazeltine course Payne Stewart outlasted struggling Scott Simpson 75-79 in an 18-holc playoff and acquired his second major title. Australian Lan Baker Finch played the front Side in a near perfect 29 and held on for a closing 66 and a two stroke Ici Ory in the British open at England a Royal Birkdale course. Lan Woosnam of Wales leaped to the top of the world rankings with his last Hole Victory Over Tom Watson in the masters. Woosnam and Watson went to the 18th1 tee in a tie. When Watson put his drive deep into the Woods on the right Woosnam played safely away from trouble and far to the left. Watson eventually double bogeyed the Hole while Woosnam chipped to six feet and made the Par putt he had to have to Edge Spain a Jose Maria Olazabal. Woosnam was one of eight players to win twice on the american tour. No one won More. The other double winners were Nick Price Tom Purtzer Corey Pavin Fred couples Andrew Magee Billy Andrade and Mark Brooks. Phil Mickelson won Only once but it was remarkable. The 20-year-old left hander became the first Amateur in More than three decades to win on the pro tour when he won by one stroke in the Tucson open. Pavin led the regular tour in Money winnings with $979,430. For the second year in a Row however a member of the senior pea tour surpassed the earnings of the Leader on the regular tour. Mike Hill scored his filth Victory of the year in the season ending tournament in puerto Rico and led All american Money winners w Ith $1,065,657. Jack Nicklaus played Only five times on the Over-50 circuit but won three including the senior . Open and the senior pea. On the women s tour Pat Bradley had a leading $763,1 is in earnings won seven titles made her Way into the Lyga Hall of Fame and w As named player of the year Over runner up Meg Mellon w to also won seven including the . Open and Lyga. Page 20 the stars and stripes wednesday thursday january 1 2, 1992